In recent weeks we heard about how people on the U.S. East Coast prepared for hurricane Florence. Some prepared, some did not, and some were caught in the eye of the storm. Some evacuated, and some chose not to. In some cases people probably had nowhere to go and so they tried to weather the storm. We need to continue to pray for those affected by this storm.

How do we manage crisis, trouble, and storms when they come into our lives? How do you cope with unexpected difficulties when they arise? Do you allow them to defeat you or do you seek refuge and find opportunities to learn and grow from them? The Bible has helpful counsel about this in Psalm 121. “Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.”

I don’t speak Chinese, but I have heard that the word “crisis” in that language consists of only two characters. The first character represents danger, and the second character represents opportunity. This is a reminder that every crisis we face also presents an opportunity for us. The opportunity is to seek after God for help.

Psalm 121 proclaims that God created the heavens and the earth, so surely God can and will help us through a crisis. God created you, God watches over you, and God will help you, is what the Psalmist proclaims. We are not promised a life free of difficulties or struggles, but we are promised the opportunity to seek God’s help in the midst of those.

What crisis are you in right now? Have you called out to God for help? If you try to manage it on your own, you most likely will find pain and struggle. If you call on Jesus you will find the help and strength you need to manage and find your way through it. “The Lord is a very present help in times trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Make it Personal: Along with Psalm 121 also read Matthew 6:25-34. In those verses Jesus himself speaks about how he can deliver you from worry, anxiety, fear, and the future. All of these verses are wonderful words to pray as we lift up our families, communities, nation, and world in the midst of various crisis and troubles.